Subj: How to get better results by doing less, not more.
Why do people insist on overcomplicating fitness?
The amount of money wasted on unnecessary diet foods and training equipment would fill up a cruise ship with $100 bills.
Unfortunately, people are separated from their hard earned money by clever companies. They know just what to say and do to make you think you need their product. I could create a Masterclass on how your psychology is ‘hacked’ by very smart people in order make you buy what they are selling.
But hey, I don’t blame them. I get why they do it. If the average person knew the truth they wouldn’t be motivate to act.
Anyway, that’s a deep dive topic for another day. Today I will explain why you need to focus on the basics and forget about everything else.
If you’re looking for a quick fix, keep looking and good luck to you. People who want a quick fix always end up taking the long way around just to end up where they started.
However, if you want the quickest way to get a fit, healthy body, then keep reading.
The Basics of Training
It’s amazing at how little you actually need in order to get results. The simplest exercises executed with masterful precision is what takes your physique from ‘meh’ to ‘wow!’
Remember, our culture is predicated on consumption, so you don’t think you need a special product to get the results you seek.
Look at olympic gymnasts for example. All they do are bodyweight exercises, with some unique twists, and they are in stellar shape.
It’s time to get back to basics
When you overlook the basics you underperform. The basics must be drilled again and again and again and again.
You cannot build a great physique without a solid foundation. A solid foundation is built by, you guessed it, the basics.
When I say basics, what I mean is basic training, basic eating and living in harmony with our basic nature.
If you want to be truly healthy and happy, you need a basic level of fitness that allows you to live a complete life. You need the energy, stamina and personal power to tackle the challenges life throws your way.
Basic Training
Cadets go to basic training to build the required discipline and conditioning to be generally fit. You should approach your training the same way. The basics of physical training consist of calisthenics, barbell exercises and cardiovascular exercise.
Calisthenics are bodyweight exercises like push ups, sit ups, pull ups and dips. You could do these simple bodyweight exercises for the rest of your life to build a healthy physique that’s superior in fitness compared to most people.
Barbell Training: Basic barbell exercises are another fantastic way to get fit. Barbell training builds muscle mass, strength and power. With a barbell and a few weight plates you can enjoy a lifetime of health and fitness.
The Basic Barbell Exercises are:
- Curl
- Squat
- Deadlift
- Bench press
- Shoulder press
- Rows of all kinds
Cardiovascular: Cardio is any exercise performed for an extended period of time with the goal of strengthening the cardiorespritory system (heart and lungs). A strong cardiorespritory system makes your whole body more efficient.
To improve cardiorespitory strength and endurance just elevate your heart rate with sustained strenuous activity. Common gym activities such as jogging, rowing or climbing the Stairmaster are suitable cardio exercise. Or, you can go for a jog or long walk. Sprint up a hill if you’re feeling extra spicy.
I personally opt for outdoor cardio activities. (Even if I do a round of barbell complexes, I’ll perform them outside.) The cardio activity really doesn’t matter, just push yourself with any feat of endurance for an extended period of time, do it consistently, and you will get results. If you’re breathing heavy and break a sweat, then you’re going the right direction. Keep it up!
If you lift hard enough you will increase your heart rate into the orange zone, which is optimal for heart health. This type of cardio can be accomplished with superset training.
Now that we’ve covered the basics of physical training, let’s dive into nutrition.
Basic Nutrition
Proper nutrition is paramount for a high quality of life. Nutrition is essential to make sure you have the energy to train hard and the raw material to recover properly.
Here’s the only piece of advice you need to live a happy, healthy life: Only eat real foods, prepared fresh.
Cook your meals with foods that your great, great, great, great grand parents would have had available to eat. If they couldn’t have eaten it, you shouldn’t put it in your mouth.
Steer clear of man-made foods. Eat all natural foods instead. Man made foods destroy your health. This is true 100% of the time. I stopped eating things made in a factory and I got leaner, stronger, fitter and happier as a result. My face cleared up and my testosterone shot through the roof.
Eat basic foods of the highest quality. A diet of steak, eggs, chicken, turkey, lamb, fresh fish and lots of leafy greens is superior to any other diet.
Bottom line: Eat the way mother nature intended you to eat and you will be rewarded. Speaking of nature…
Basic Nature
When you live in harmony with nature’s laws you enjoy a sense of wellbeing.
Many people no longer understand what it’s like to feel good. There’s a reason the cases of depression and anxiety are increasing at record rates.
We forgot how to live.
The suffering is self induced. A human being isn’t meant to sit inside 14 hours a day, hunched over and staring into a lightbulb.
Nature soothes the soul
Turn off your phone and go outside. Get some sunlight on your skin, go for a swim in the lake, or take a walk in the woods. All of these things are good for your body and brain. Being in natural is REQUIRED for a healthy soul. You don’t need to become a hippie or a full time forest dweller, but you do need remember what it’s like in your natural habitat.
When it comes to food, humans are meant to eat berries, nuts, herbs and wild game. When you eat foods made in a factory you are subjecting yourself to a suboptimal life experience. The best diet for humans is the paleo diet. It’s the most in-tune with our biology.
Get Back to the Basics and Reap the Benefits
Simplify, focus on what matters most and forget everything else. You’ll be happier and healthier as a result.
Once you simplify your approach to health and fitness, your life gets a whole lot better. You don’t need to worry about meal timing, macronutrients, or supplement stacks. You won’t need a step counter, a heart rate monitor, or anything like that.
All you need to do is live like nature intended and you’ll feel as strong as an ox and as free as a bird.
So, when you’re ready to live your best life, just do less. Start by looking for things to eliminate. Pair down to the bare essentials. Simplify your diet and training. Eat meat and vegetables only. You could do squats, push ups and pull ups exclusively and be in better shape than 99% of people.
No frills, just laser focus.
Nothing fancy, just do the basic things extraordinarily well.
The process might not be sexy but the results sure are.
Leave a Reply